Sound familar? Much of our body’s response is a direct results of our thoughts. It’s a vicious cycle. First, we have a thought, then our body responds. The additional adrenaline increases those confusing thoughts, which releases more adrenaline. Then, more confusing thoughts. It grows quickly spins out of control. Wam! A full blown panic attack!

Early in my search for freedom, I read a couple of excellent books on the subject. It was the early 80’s and the term “panic attack” wasn’t even coined yet. Dr. Clarire Weekes wrote two books called “Hope and Help for your Nerves” and “Peace from Nervous Suffering“. There was one thing that stood out from her books that really gave me an edge in this battle with fear was the concept of “floating a thought”.

The concept is relatively simple to understand, but a bit more difficult to apply. When a fear thought comes into your mind, don’t fight it and don’t resist it. Simply let it “float on past”. Let it come and let your body dump the adrenaline, but don’t respond to it. Don’t give in. Just let it float into your mind and pass on through.

I remember my first key victory over panic attacks. I was sitting in a recliner holding my three-month-old son at my in-laws. Fear hit me. My body went numb. The panic attack felt imminent. But, instead of fighting the fear, I decided to just let it come. It did and it passed. No panic attack. It was amazing!

Here are some steps to remember when a panic thought invades your mind:

Recognize

You know that feeling well. A thought hits you and your body starts to react.

The first thing you need to do is recognize that thought. Recognize that it’s a fear thought, and that it’s not a real threat. Once you recognize what it is, then…

Don’t Fight It, Float It

As the fear thought hits you, don’t resist it. Don’t fight it. Let it come and tell yourself, I will not resist the fear thought.

It’s like a campfire. When I was a boy scout, we would make fires by first getting some small embers going. Once they were going, I would blow on them to make them burn hotter. You would think that blowing on them would make them go out. But, that’s not what happens. Instead of extinguishing the embers, you are actually blowing more oxygen into the flame, feeding the fire. The same is true with fear. When you fight it, you are feeding the fear.

It’s very counter intuitive to not fight the fear, because everything in your mind and body says FIGHT! What has helped me the most was learning how to…

Trust in the Lord

When the Moses and children of Israel were fleeing Egypt, Pharaoh and his army were hot on their trail. As they approached the Red Sea, there as no escape. They were trapped by the mountains on each side, the sea in front and the approaching army behind them. They were gripped with fear. Then, the Lord spoke to Moses, and Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exodus 14:13a).

God said to them, “Don’t fight. Just trust me. Stand still and I will rescue you.”

I know first hand how terrifying and confusing those fear thoughts can be. I know how hard it is to not fight. But, I’ve also seen how the Lord can rescue those who “stand still” and trust in him. He is faithful. He will not let you down!

Prayer: Father, the next time a fear thought hits me, give me the courage to let it come and float on past me. I will not fight. I will stand still and trust you to rescue me.

For anyone who has experienced a full blown panic attack or anxiety attack, it can be quite terrifying. The confusion and terror make it difficult to think clearly. Stopping the attack seems impossible while it’s happening. The key to stopping a panic attack is to plan ahead and know how to respond before it happens.

It’s important to remember that panic attacks are both physical and mental.

Physical

They are physical because your body is releasing adrenaline and triggering the fight or flight response. Stress and trauma can increase the sensitivity of those fear chemicals making the it easier to slip into panic.

One method for reducing your sensitivity to panic attacks is to exercise and monitor your diet. They can help reduce or eliminate the excess adrenaline in your body. In my own life, exercise and diet have played a huge role in stopping the attacks.

Mental

Thoughts, memories and emotional wounds can often trigger the body’s release of adrenaline. And in most cases, the emotional pain is so deep and hidden that we don’t even know what’s triggering it. I have found that digging deep into my own personal freedom has been very, very helpful in finding the cause of those mental triggers.

The other challenge with the mental side of panic attacks is that our minds will often race when the panic hits. Typically, in a fight or flight situation, there is a very real danger, and your mind was designed to respond to that danger either by running away or standing to fight. The problem with panic attacks is that it’s often rooted in an inward pain, not an outward threat. So, our minds race to find the threat but find nothing. So, we conclude that it’s something inwardly dangerous like cancer or that we’re going crazy. We must learn to recognize these lies.

Over the years, as panic would hit, I tried many different things to stop the attack. Below are some steps I’ve taken that have been very helpful in stopping an attack:

Be Prepared

When an attack hits, it can be so terrifying that it’s hard to think clearly. We tend to respond instinctively instead of proactively. It’s important to prepare yourself on how you will respond. Just like athletes train their muscles so that motion and movement are automatic, so must we train our body and mind to respond instinctively to the rush of adrenaline that triggers panic.

Recognize

Panic can often sneak up on you before you know it and set things into motion before you have time to stop it. By recognizing those feelings, thoughts and sensations, you can spot the precursors to panic giving you a heads up. Then, you can move carefully and strategically into the next few steps…

Breath Slowly

In almost every case of panic or anxiety attacks, breathing moves from a normal, slow rhythmic state to a shallow, rapid state. Your body is preparing for danger, so everything in your body changes. Your heart rate increases, your blood pressure rises, and your breathing gets rapid to prepare for the dangerous situation. It’s essential to get your breathing under control. Studies have shown that by slowing your breathing, you can stop panic immediately.

Here’s what I do. I start a four-by-four breathing pattern. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, hold it out for 4 seconds. And repeat. Breathe deeply with your abdomen, watching your stomach move in and out. It may be hard at first because your body is not used to slower breathing in a panic state, but I have found over and over again that this step is very powerful in stopping panic.

Don’t Fight

Panic attacks are cyclic. When it hits, your mind races releasing adrenaline. Then, when the adrenaline dumps into your body, it causes your mind to race even more, dumping more adrenaline. It cycles deeper and deeper until it feels terrifying and unstoppable.

In the early 70’s, before panic attacks were even called “panic attacks”, Dr. Claire Weekes pioneered this “don’t fight” solution for those suffering with “nervous conditions.” She would often challenge her patients to not fight those incoming, fearful thoughts and just let them “float on past.” This is very helpful in stopping panic because when you fight the panic, you are doing exactly what your body is gearing up for: fight or flight. Fighting releases more adrenaline, so don’t fight it.

I have found that when panic strikes and my body starts to go numb with those sensations, if I can avoid fighting those feelings and let them sweep over me, that cycle of fear is broken immediately and there’s no panic. It’s hard, however, to let those feelings rush in without resisting. They are terrifying. But, that’s why I…

Pray

Faith has been essential for me in breaking the cycle of fear and panic. The more I learn to trust God, the more I can resist the urge to fight those feelings. I encourage you to learn more about what God thinks of you and how he wants to help you.

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

These steps have helped me break the cycle of panic attacks. Today, panic no longer has a grip on me. There are a few, rare occasions where it rears its ugly head, but the cycle is broke quickly and the panic never spins out of control. I call them “zaps of adrenaline.” As you learn these steps and trust in God, I am confident that you too can stop the cycle of panic attacks.

Prayer: “Father, help me learn these steps before any panic strikes so that I can break this cycle and stop the panic attacks.”

When anxious and fearful thoughts come flooding in, it can be very difficult to quiet your mind and connect with God in prayer. In the middle of a panic attack, the last thing on your mind is getting alone with God. But, prayer can be very helpful in stopping those confusing and terrifying thoughts.

Learning how to pray can calm an anxious mind and fill your heart with peace:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, 7).

When anxious thoughts, fear, panic or worry come against you, present your requests to God. Pray and petition him, and as you do, his peace which goes beyond all understanding will guide your hearts and mind in Christ. This is more than just a recommendation—it’s a truth that can transform a fearful mind into a mind of peace.

Here are some steps that have helped me connect with God:

1. Believe

Faith is essential. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We must believe that God will respond to our prayers. If we doubt, we are like a wave tossed about by the sea, unsettled in all our ways (James 1:5). Here’s how Jesus explains it:

Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,’ and your command will be obeyed. All that’s required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it” (Mark 11:22-24).

2. God hears you

I think we’ve all wondered, “God, do you really hear me?” We pray and pray and it seems like nothing changes. We beg for freedom, we cry out for a respite of peace, but it seems so elusive. We hear a thought in our head, God does not hear my prayers and we think it’s our thought. Quietly, we agree with this subtle attack of the devil. The enemy constantly accuses us and lies to us. He is the father of lies (John 10:10) and he spews his lies and confusion all over of us to thwart God’s beautiful plans for our lives. We cannot give into this voice that says God does not hear our prayers. God listens.

Another subtle lie from the enemy is that we are not worthy enough for God to hear our prayers. It’s just not true! When you receive Christ, you are instantly made worthy. He took our sins and we took his righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says it this way, “God made [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Now that you are righteous in Christ, you can boldly come to the throne of grace in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

3. Know who you are in Christ

Too often, we approach God in prayer with a sinner mentality. “Lord, I’m a wretched sinner. Woe is me! I’m not worthy to come before you.” This way of thinking is wrong. Once you receive Christ, you are no longer a slave—you are a child of God!

“You are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you” (Galatians 4:7).

In Christ, you are a child of the Most High God. You are special! You are cherished, loved, protected and pursued by God. You are his child!

4. Words carry power

We must be very careful about the words we speak. Words carry incredible spiritual power. Death and life are in the power of our words (Proverbs 18:21). Salvation comes when we confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts (Romans 10:9). Whether good or evil, people speak what’s in their hearts. Jesus said it this way, “Whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart” (Matthew 12:34, 35).

If you want to experience peace, don’t speak evil, doubting words. If you feel an anxious thought coming on, don’t say, “I’m probably going to have another panic attack.” No! Don’t speak those words. Rather, pray something like this, “Father, my body feels anxious right now, but you said that you will give me perfect peace when my mind is focused upon you. Right now, Lord, I fix my thoughts upon you. I trust in you!”

5. Build your prayer muscle

Prayer is a lot like a muscle. You need to work on it, strengthen it and build it up. Don’t wait till you need it to start strengthening it.

A professional athlete doesn’t start working out the day before a big race. It takes months and months, even years, to develop the ability to race well. In the same way, we should pray daily, flexing and strengthening our prayer-time muscle.

“Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next” (1 Timothy 4:8).

Prayer: Father, this week, teach me to pray effectively. Show me how to build and strengthen my prayer muscle so that when anxiety, panic or fear hits, I can rest in the confidence that you are with me.

When fear strikes, and your body and mind move into this fight or flight mode, it can be very difficult to stop the cycle of panic. Your body begins releasing adrenaline, preparing to run from danger or to stand up and fight. Your focus narrows. Your heart races. Blood is pumped to your hands for fighting and to your feet for running. And when you can’t pinpoint what the physical danger is, your mind starts racing, trying to find something to fight or run from. Your mind becomes a huge magnet–the closer the fear comes, the harder it is to resist.

All of sudden, your body and mind hit panic mode. Terror seizes every part of your soul. You can’t run because no matter where you go, there you are. The rush of numbness fills your body as your heart pounds out of your chest. Confusion swirls in your head and your mind frantically searches for an escape.

Does this sound familiar? What I just described is a panic attack. It can be an incredibly terrifying experience. When panic hits, everything in your body and mind goes into high gear, and it can be extremely difficult to break that cycle and stop the panic attack.

For years, panic attacks controlled my life. Fear told me what I could and couldn’t do. Even the fear of fear would create a generalized anxiety that kept me in a chronic state of worry. But today, panic attacks no longer control my life.

I want to share with you these five steps on how to stop a panic attack:

1. Recognize

When panic hits, you immediately go into autopilot mode and start reacting to fear. But, you need to realize that it’s just an attack. It’s your body doing what it’s designed to do–it’s responding to a threat. The problem is that you don’t know where or what the threat is, so your mind races and adrenaline is released into your body, causing the situation to spin out of control.

The first thing you need to do is recognize what is going on. Tell yourself, This is just my body going into fight or flight mode. There is no real danger. You need to recognize what’s happening and remind yourself, This has not killed me in the past, and it’s not going to kill me now. Your body is lying to you and you need to call the bluff.

2. Don’t fight it

When panic hits, adrenaline is released into your body to prepare it for fighting or running. Adrenaline increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Your mind races to find the threat so that it can focus on the danger. Physiologically, everything in you is gearing up to respond to a dangerous situation. So, when you fight those feelings, you are actually feeding your body more adrenaline. And, you don’t want that!

It’s like starting a campfire. As the embers start to spark, you blow on them to cause them to burn hotter. But, that’s backwards! You would think that blowing on a fire would snuff it out. On the contrary, you’re not blowing out the fire–you’re feeding it oxygen causing it to burn more. The same is true with a panic attack. When you fight it, you feed it more adrenaline making it worse. To stop the attack, you must not fight it.

3. Check your breathing

Another result of the “fight or flight” mode is rapid, shallow breathing. As your body prepares for danger, it’s trying to get more oxygen into your bloodstream for the extra energy it needs to face the threat. The increase in oxygen releases more adrenaline which you don’t want. Doctors have proven that simply by hyperventilating, you can trigger panic. And, the opposite is true, that by controlling your breathing, you can stop panic.

When you start to feel the rush of panic, you should immediately go into controlled breathing. I did this often, and it’s amazing how quickly you can stop the attack. I would quickly move into a 4-4-4-4 breathing pattern: Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds. Then, keep doing that till the panic subsides. It may be hard at first because you’re used to shallow, rapid breathing, but keep doing it.

4. Pray

Prayer is powerful! I believe God responds before we even finish praying the prayer. There are numerous examples of this in the Bible. When panic hits, call out to God for strength, wisdom, and clarity of mind to break the cycle of fear. There were numerous times that prayer alone carried me through those terrifying situations.

The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them” (Psalms 91:14, 15).

5. Call someone

There were times that I would call someone to help talk me through the panic. While it was good in that moment to help break the cycle, you have to be very careful with this step. When you call someone in the midst of panic, and it successfully stops the attack, you can start to rely on that person for peace. And, that’s dangerous because you can develop an unhealthy dependency on that person or the act of calling someone. If you need to call someone, do it rarely and don’t rely on it.

I have found these steps to be incredibly helpful over the years, but please understand that these techniques are temporary. They are only coping methods that can help you through a panic situation. Complete freedom happens when you find out what is triggering these attacks, and then work through the pain, the wounds and the patterns of thinking that cause you to experience this. Once you find freedom, the panic attacks and fear will go away. You won’t need these coping techniques any more!

For more information on finding freedom, you can read through the series called Freedom from Fear. Also, start meeting regularly with a counselor who can walk you through the pain.

Prayer: Father, give me the strength, wisdom and clarity of mind to stop the panic, and help me find freedom from what is causing this.

My book, Season of Grace shares my journey from crippling panic attacks to a life of freedom. I share many of the practical, emotional and spiritual steps I took. You can order it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About

For most of my life, I battled crippling anxiety and panic attacks. For the longest time, I had no hope. My world was closing in all around me. Today, I am free and living a life full of peace and abundance. Freedom is real. You can be totally set free for the bondage of fear. [Read my story]